The Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Earth Sciences and Science & Technology, Dr. Jitendra Singh, has informed the Rajya Sabha that the India Meteorological Department (IMD) provides district-wise weather forecasts and warnings up to seven days in advance across the country, including Haryana.
These forecasts include key weather parameters, such as rainfall, temperature, wind speed, hail, heat waves, cold waves, fog, and thunderstorms.
A four-stage colour-coded warning system (Green, Yellow, Orange, and Red) is used to indicate the severity of weather events and the level of preparedness required by State Governments and concerned agencies. For districts placed under Orange and Red category warnings, Impact-Based Forecasts (IBF) are issued, indicating possible impacts on infrastructure, human activities, and agriculture.
Agricultural impacts include information related to the type of standing crops, crop growth stage, prevailing pest and disease conditions, and the likely impact of the impending severe weather event, along with suitable advisories for farmers and the general public.
Weather forecasts and Agrometeorological Advisories are disseminated to farmers through multiple channels, including print and electronic media, Doordarshan, internet platforms, social media, and SMS services under Public–Private Partnership initiatives. Under this arrangement, about 5.59 million farmers across the country receive weather forecasts, alerts, and agromet advisories.
During extreme weather events such as cyclones or deep depressions, SMS-based alerts with appropriate precautionary measures are disseminated through the Kisan Portal. Technological advancements have further enhanced accessibility by enabling farmers to receive location-specific forecasts and advisories through mobile applications such as Meghdoot, Mausam, and the lightning alert application Damini. Early warnings are also disseminated through the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) SACHET portal, social media platforms such as WhatsApp, X, and Facebook, coordination with State and District Disaster Management Authorities, and through electronic media and television broadcasts. Press releases and special weather bulletins are issued well in advance during significant weather events for the benefit of farmers and the general public.
These forecasts are available through digital platforms such as e-GramSwaraj, Meri Panchayat App, e-Manchitra, and the IMD platform Mausamgram. The service provides hourly forecasts up to 36 hours, three-hourly forecasts for the next five days, and six-hourly forecasts up to ten days for parameters such as temperature, rainfall, humidity, wind, and cloud cover, enabling farmers to plan agricultural operations more effectively.
The Minister said that the improvements in forecast accuracy and early warning dissemination have resulted in significant benefits to farmers. The National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) has conducted periodic assessments in 2009, 2015, and 2020 to evaluate the economic impact of weather forecast–based advisories in India. The 2020 survey, covering 3,965 farmers across 121 districts in 11 States, indicated that 98% of farmers modified at least one agricultural practice in response to agrometeorological advisories.
Farmers used the advisories to take informed decisions on the selection of crops and varieties, sowing time, irrigation scheduling, fertiliser application, pest and disease management, and harvesting operations. These actions helped minimise losses from adverse weather conditions and optimise the use of inputs under favourable weather situations.
The study also found that the average annual income of farming households increased significantly when advisories were adopted. Farmers who implemented all nine recommended practices experienced an increase in annual household income from ₹1.98 lakh to ₹3.02 lakh.
In rain-fed regions, this translated into an additional annual income of about ₹12,500 for Below Poverty Line (BPL) agricultural households, with the overall estimated income gain amounting to about ₹13,331 crore annually in rain-fed districts across the country. Thus, strengthened district-level early warning systems and improved dissemination of weather forecasts and agrometeorological advisories have enabled farmers to take timely preventive and adaptive measures, thereby reducing crop losses, improving farm productivity, enhancing resource-use efficiency, and strengthening climate resilience in the agricultural sector.
